Port Suggestions for around $20-$30

[Scott Vinieratos]

I will give it a week or so ..... but I will crack open the six grapes in the meantime :)

[Andy Velebil]

Scott,
You've noticed why many of us here no longer have a preference for the Bin 27. IMO, when they changed the wine making style of it, or whatever the actual change was*, it became leaner on fruit with more alcohol showing through. I wish they would go back to the older style of it.

*I've been told there was change to how they produce it earlier this decade, but at the time I asked the company representative wasn't exactly sure what that exact change was. As I mentioned many of us here have noticed the change.

[Mark DaSilva]

Ramos Pinto Collector
Dow's Crusted Port

A bit out of the norm, but fascinating choices. Stirs up the LBV's vs. tawny vs. ruby debates. Both are very fruity, with good character. Good ice breaker too.

White ports tend to fall into this category, but only a few are good. Ramos Pinto Lagrima is one, but the dry ports (Fonseca, Churchill) are disappointing.

You can get Fonseca Bin 27 and Graham's Six Grapes at any local store for less than $20 so I'd lump them as good buys in the less than $20 category.

[Andy Velebil]

Ramos Pinto Collector

Good call. I had forgotten about this one. If my tired memory serves me, this is also an unfiltered Reserve Ruby (like the Grahams Six Grapes) and quite nice for the price.

[Scott Vinieratos]

I didn't buy the Six Grapes but opened the bottle of Noval Fine Ruby Port. I did a side by side taste test with the Bin 27 and while the tasted different, they did smell & taste very similar to me. Nutty, fruity and bit on the alcohol side. Maybe my palette isn't refined enough to taste the subtle differences. I did notice a prune (or maybe raisins) flavor on the Noval that didn't appear to me in the Bin 27.

Both of these don't hold a candle to the 2003 Taylor Fladgate LBV that I drank over the weekend.

Any ideas why I don't smell/taste much of a difference at all between the Bin 27 and Noval Fine Ruby?